Since 1965, the Optical Museum in Jena has provided an overview of the collaborative work of Carl Zeiss, physician Ernst Abbe and glass technologist Otto Schott. The museum features the cultural, historical and technical development of optical instruments spanning five centuries.

Optics and the masters
In 1846, Carl Zeiss was granted permission to open a workshop, starting production of his first “simple microscope” just a year later. After initial difficulties, Zeiss recruited physician Ernst Abbe and glass technologist Otto Schott to help with his research. This laid the foundations for the development of the optical precision engineering industry in Jena. The museum exhibition starts with reports and documents about Zeiss, Abbe and Schott. The "simple microscope", an apertometer by Abbe and samples of Schott's glass technology work show the connections between the scientific work of the three men.

Thanks to the “big three” - Carl Zeiss, Ernst Abbe and Otto Schott, Jena evolved into an industrial city during the second half of the 19th century. Visitors are attracted to the museum by the vast range of objects, from fancy tools to electron and stereo microscopes and reflecting telescopes. The museum also presents one of the largest collections of spectacles in Europe, telescopes, microscopes, a journey through time from the camera obscura to the digital camera and many other exhibits. Almost anything associated with optics can be seen here, from the reading glass to the astronomical telescope. Zeiss' historical workshop from 1866 shows the beginnings of Jena's optics industry. A holography collection and a unique collection of planetarium technology illustrate modern aspects of optics.
» www.ernst-abbe-stiftung.de

A selection of other physics and mathematics museums in Germany.